23) – "Deliver Us From Evil” Series

23) – “Deliver Us From Evil”

Today, our search continues through the Bible for:

“...those things most surely believed among us”.

I ask that you all join me once again in Matthew Chapter 6,

As we look once more to see what we believe about Prayer.

In fact, today we are going to be looking once more at The Lord’s Prayer

To learn from Christ - the type of heart we should be praying with,

And the kinds of things we should be praying for.

Our primary text today is based verse 13 – but for overall context,

Lets pick up our reading together back up in verse number 9. Here Jesus declares:

9 After this manner therefore pray ye:

In other words, following this example and after this fashion – this is how you should pray. …Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name.

10 Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

11 Give us this day our daily bread.

12 And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And now our text today – take note of the first part of verse 13

13 And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil:

RECAP

Last week, we focused purely on the notion of “Temptation”,

And what exactly Jesus meant when we prayed these words.

Because Jesus prayed to the Father saying: …lead us not into temptation.

And for those who may be unlearned or untaught in the Scriptures

There seems to be a suggestion here that God can in fact...

“Lead us” into – or “tempt” us to sin.

Of course a broader study of the Scriptures last week...

Quickly revealed to us that that is not the case.

In fact, there are two main Greek words translated as “Temptation” in the Bible.

The first is Pei-rázo, which among other things, means:

“To solicit”, “to persuade”, or to “entice into sin”.

However, this is not the Word Jesus used in His Prayer.

In fact, we know that God is Perfect and Holy - and that in Him is no sin at all.

The Bible makes all of this very clear to us in James 1:13 saying:

Let no man say when he is tempted [Pei-razo], I am tempted of God: for God cannot be tempted with evil, neither tempteth He any man:

God does not lead us into temptation that way...

Neither does He entice anyone to sin.

That is not what Jesus was praying about in verse 13.

Instead, He uses the Greek word Pei-ras-mós

And not only is this a completely different Greek word

But it has a different shade meaning.

Pei-ras-mós means: “to be tried” or “put to the test”.

And the truth is, that as Christians...

We are often subjected to “testing circumstances” and “trying times” in our life.

No child of God is immune to such things.

We all endure tough times...and we all have problems.

And it is in this regard - that we all face “trials” and “temptations“.

You see, a “temptation” – the way Jesus uses it,

Speaks of a trial, or a tribulation in life that tests our faith and resolve.

Now a quick look to the Scriptures and we will find

All kinds of Children of God

Having their faith tested in all kinds of ways.

Two of the most prominent examples in the OT are Job and Abraham.

Now both of these men were faithful servants of the Lord,

And those who were looking to accomplish the Lord’s will in their lives.

But even while walking the path that God had laid out for them

Their faith was severely tested by trials and tribulations in their life.

And remember, last week we discovered that...

Job had His faith directly tested by Satan.

And this is the great lesson we all have to learn,

Because sometimes our faith will be put to the test,

And often, for no other reason - than because we love the Lord

And are following His will in our lives.

Satan doesn’t like that - and so he will test our resolve.

Remember Jesus said to His disciples:

In the world ye shall have tribulation (John 16:33)

“There will be “trouble” and “affliction” in your life when you follow me”

This world is going to test you – Jesus said.

Interestingly that that word Tribulation also means:

To be “pressed”, “squeezed” or “crushed”.

And Jesus is of course speaking figuratively here of the type of pressure,

And the type of affliction and distress…

We will likely suffer out in the world because of our faith in Him.

Now as we put all of this together in the light of God’s Word last week,

We were able to begin to understand what Jesus was Praying for.